Little Rock's homeless day resource center now has an on-site medical clinic that will serve people regardless of their ability to pay.
The Open Hands Clinic, operated by Jefferson Comprehensive Care System Inc., began serving patients at its new location in the basement of Jericho Way Resource Center at 3000 Springer Blvd. on Monday.
"We believe this is going to be a huge asset for one of our city's most vulnerable populations," Ivan Hudson, chairman of the board for Jefferson Comprehensive Care, said Tuesday at an event to mark the clinic's opening.
About five people went in with a variety of ailments on Monday, registered nurse Kathy Woods said. The clinics hours are 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Mondays and 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesdays through Fridays. More than 150 people visit Jericho Way each day.
"All they have to do here is just walk around the corner," Arkansas Homeless Coalition President Sandra Wilson said. "The easy access to health care is so important to the many who will be here."
The clinic serves as a primary care facility that provides family medical care, immunizations, women's health, cancer screenings, diagnostics, preventive care, case management, substance abuse services, and referrals for radiology. It also has a medication assistance program, and medicine can be prescribed.
Jefferson Comprehensive Care previously operated a clinic on Martin Luther King Jr. Drive. The move and renovations to Jericho Way cost just over $200,000, according to Sandra Brown, the chief executive officer for Jefferson Comprehensive Care.
The clinic does not require co-pays for homeless patients but does have a sliding fee scale based on federal poverty guidelines. It is federally funded and bills patients' insurance if they have it, but patients without insurance are not turned away, Brown said.
Getting Jericho Way a clinic was a long-term project for former Little Rock Mayor Mark Stodola. Kendra Pruitt, senior adviser to Mayor Frank Scott Jr., spoke on behalf of Scott on Tuesday and expressed gratitude for those who had brought the clinic to fruition and noted its value to those in need.
It has its own entrance and houses examination rooms, a lab and a waiting room. The five-person staff includes a full-time nurse practitioner, a registered nurse, a provider, a medical assistant and a front-desk receptionist.
Previously, patients in need of medical care would be transported to a clinic off-site.
Jericho Way offers showers, meals, a place to store belongings and make calls, computers, and case management. The Arkansas Department of Workforce Services hosts sessions on job- and skills-training opportunities.
The most recent count available shows that there are approximately 990 people experiencing homelessness in the Little Rock metropolitan area, according to Central Arkansas Team Care for the Homeless.
Metro on 01/16/2019